Of Fairies and Fiends
by Roove
Summary: No matter how much they try to avoid each other, natural born enemies will always come into conflict.


Ever since the shocking defeat of the Mad King in his own fortress, the expected news of a regime change had reached even the most isolated places in Dark World. By the end of that frightening week, even those uncaring peoples who had been forcibly dragged into the dark world were aware of Haou's rise to power. Most disturbing was the rumor that Haou was the same human who had defeated the Mad King. Now why would a _human_ want to rule anything in Dark World? Celestia, Lightsworn Angel could only wonder as she glided under the light of the comet.

It was in that moment when the angel caught sight of something sinister lingering around in the plains beneath her. A village was smouldering, yes, but there was also the sense of raw _power_. It was a dizzying feeling, considering she couldn't quite place its source, but it was still potent enough to fill the immediate area.

Following the orders of the Arch-Lightsworn to investigate any suspicious activity, Celestia tightened her grip on her staff, then spiraled downwards into the world below. She was a noble guard of the Lightsworn Sanctuary, and a steadfast warrior in any other setting. The Lightsworns themselves were a group who aimed to help those who prayed for help, even if that meant crossing dimensions to do so. Celestia, however, had sworn to herself that she would never set foot in Dark World no matter who called her name. She'd had no choice this time.

Ever vigilant, the Lightsworns recognized that something unusual had been happening within Dark World long before the dimensions collided. Even before a pocket of their own holy dimension had been absorbed by the darkness, their intel had known that all the strange activity was centered in the Mad King of Dark World's lands. Ghosts of rumors had circulated in Dark World before Brron's defeat about a powerful weapon. Those whispers had only strengthened since the wretched king's death, so the Lightsworns were now informed enough to give the weapon a name: Super Fusion. If they were still correct, whoever had taken Brron's place had also taken on the responsibility of completing that weapon. The thought of it almost made Celestia feel nauseous, especially considering the Lightsworns had no knowledge about what such a weapon was capable of.

The angel navigated through the dark terrain, her eyes and ears open to everything around her. All she could do was pray that nobody would take any interest in her. Not that she couldn't handle herself, but she really wasn't in the mood to fight. Even if subterfuge wasn't exactly her forte to begin with, she must have stood out like a glorious beacon in this hellish dimension anyway.

Her destination: that small village near the river. Stone and marble houses graced her wary eyes. Remnants of fruit trees, unfit to survive Dark World's climate, dotted the town's exterior. There was even a fountain, just visible through the buildings. The moment she set eyes on the settlement, she knew it and its residents were strangers to Dark World. It would have all been far too peaceful if she had not overheard someone panicking about something. As quiet and desolate as the village seemed - _I arrived too late_ \- a few panicked cries caught her attention.

"Somebody heeelp! It's another one!"

Purpose in her eyes, Celestia rushed further into the village only to find two weaker fiends cowering by one of the buildings. A massive fiend stood several meters away from them. _Silva, Warlord of Dark World!_ She recognized him immediately. The only reason she didn't immediately leap to action was because of the state he was in. The larger fiend was hunched over with exhaustion. A black, viscous fluid was splattered on his armor and stained the ground behind him. It took only a moment of thought for her to realize it must have been his own blood.

"W-what is this?" Celestia considered attacking immediately, but perhaps that wasn't the wisest idea. Everything about this situation confused her.

One of the two fiends, Blast Asmodian, squawked at her, pointing accusingly at the injured warlord. "Hurry and kill him! The first one already killed most of us! He's here to finish the job!" It's companion, a Sangan, nodded its round body in agreement.

No, that couldn't be right. From her safe distance, Celestia studied the extent of the larger fiend's injuries. Her voice was confident and grandiose now as she held her head high, staring the warlord of Dark World down. "I am Celestia of the Lightsworn. I've been sent here to investigate any suspicious activity in the surrounding area. Explain yourself, demon." For effect, she brandished her staff in a defensive manner as she glared at Silva. In all honesty, she couldn't help but feel fearful, facing something that could easily match her in strength. Well, maybe not in his current state, but the threat was still there. If this had been a proper duel with cards, they would only destroy each other by fighting with their equal attack power. A real fight could go either way. He outmatched her in size and strength and that wasn't something she wanted to overlook. Even if he was injured, she planned on keeping her distance.

It was all ridiculous really. She was a fairy who was threatening a fiend to protect other fiends. For now, she would set aside her grudges. At least one of the two smaller ones wasn't a dark type… That had to count for something.

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as Silva's eyes fluttered, then groggily squinted at her. Within seconds, the expression on his skeletal face switched from dull pain, to sudden recognition, then to raw, unadulterated hate. "Celestia", he spat, flexing his undoubtedly sharp talons. "I thought it had gotten brighter. What are you doing here? You're out of your element, are you not?"

"I should say the same about you", Celestia stated calmly. She pointed her staff in Silva's direction. Its radiant, milky jewel shimmered even in the darkness, but she had no plans to use it on the fiend just yet. "I may be a stranger in this world, fiend, but it would seem that we are in the same situation." Like Silva, Celestia had also bound herself to another being, but it had been done purely through her faith. That was the difference. There was a _nobility_ in the Lightsworns' purpose. Silva's only motive had been to kill for Brron. She wouldn't have been surprised if Silva really had killed off a village just for _fun_. Nevertheless, she was interested in hearing his side of the story.

Cocking her head to the side ever so slightly, Celestia shifted so that her staff was pointing at the smaller demons who were still gaping at the two of them. "Judging by their reactions, they no longer recognize you as their better", the angel continued with a nonchalant look. As unfazed as she was, she kept her eyes cooly set on the injured fiend. "Of course, that would make sense. I heard that your king was dethroned not too long ago by a human."

If she had struck a nerve, Silva didn't show it. Instead, he began to move forward at a slow and steady pace, those whiteless eyes of his on her. "Everyone knows about the Mad King's defeat, but not everyone knows _who_ ended his reign. I wasn't aware that Lightsworn _scum_ like yourself knew", he hissed, the corners of his lipless mouth curling to the point where his dark gums were visible. It was all a blatant attempt to seem even more terrifying than he already was. Whether or not he succeeded was another story entirely, though the two weaker demons visibly shrunk back.

"With our constant surveilance of every dimension, we would never turn a blind eye to the foul deeds committed in Dark World." Celestia's soft pink lips curled into her own smile, though hers was sweetly befitting of an angel. "You're leaderless. No one's been around to guide your actions. Is this how you've been passing your time then? Killing innocents out of some petty, childish anger?"

Silva continued his hobbled march towards the angel, as if to hide how vulnerable he was at the moment. "Brron passed from this world weeks ago, five weeks ago exactly, and he would have still been alive if only he'd had time to complete his weapon." Silva's metallic voice was awfully sour-sounding and Celestia couldn't help but wonder if there was something he wasn't telling her. "By the time I returned to his fortress, Haou had already taken it over. Those of us who were still loyal to Brron didn't even have time to give him a proper military funeral… Just so you're aware, I haven't killed anyone in this village. I was tracking somebody, a teal-haired being who attacked my brother and I and left me like this. I'm sure he's responsible for what happened _here_ as well. Once I separate his miserable head from his body, my brother and I will gather the rest of those loyal to Brron. We will lead our campaign against Haou's armies and retake this kingdom. Until then, I can start with you!" Silva snarled, dashing forward with a speed Celestia wasn't aware he still had. A curved silver blade gleamed in his grasp. For all his aggression, his swings were clumsy and wide due to his injuries.

"Ugh, typical fiend! I give you a chance to tell your side of the story and now you attack me!" Celestia exclaimed as her arms coiled to defensively hold her staff close to her body, effectly repelling the attacks of her enemy.

"Hopefully, a blade through your gut will shut you up!"

"Really? Just listen to me for a darn second!" With all her strength, she thrust the side of her staff into Silva, effectively knocking him back a few paces in his delirious state. "You claim you're trying to find this person who nearly _killed_ you and your brother! Are you in any condition to do that? Do you not notice that you're being feared by your own _kin_ right now?" As if he would care about those two other fiends, Celestia thought dully. Since when did fiends care about anyone? Only their hatred for others held them together as a type.

"I don't care if they fear me!" Silva roared, continuing his attack with the same ferocity. One strike after the next was glancing off of the angel's enchanted staff, sparks flying everywhere. Perhaps he was trying to find a weak spot. "I need no sermon from an _angel_!" Yes, as with most fiends, Silva clearly possessed that stereotypical hatred for her kind. Of course, the feeling was mutual.

Trying to find her inner peace within the furious attacks of the enraged fiend, Celestia blocked one of Silva's attacks for the last time before she deflected his blow with another well-placed parry. She leapt backwards with an agile grace few could match. Silva was left swinging at air. In truth, it was exhausting going head-to-head with him even if he was injured. She was the superior mage, but his strength put him at an advantage in close combat. She almost sounded exasperated rather than exhausted as she continued to dodge him. "Can you not stop to think for just a second? I understand you fiends are too violent for your own good, but now you're putting others at risk to satisfy your own bloodlust", Celestia cried as she jumped away from one his swings. "What if I know something about this individual you're tracking? I was sent to investigate an unusual energy coming from this region! For all we know, this stranger could be the source of that energy!"

Her enemy gave no reply, but instead attempted to strike her again. Battle seemed to be moving slower as it continued, with Silva noticably showing signs of wearing out. His attack patterns were becoming more and more predictable from a second to second scale. All of that rage was clearly just a burst of adrenaline. Celestia felt ready to lose a nerve, but she swallowed her pride as she was still in better condition than the fiend. She could go on the offensive and take him out, but it seemed pointless to waste any power on someone who was already in such poor shape.

As if on cue, Silva took one final swing, then hunched. His breathing was heavy, though he gripped his blade to the point where she could see the outlines of his knuckles through his muscle.

Celestia sighed, "I could at least attempt to help you, if only you would let me…" Her pale, thin fingers loosened on her staff as she studied the strained look on the fiend's face. If Silva was too proud to heed her words while she was combatting him, maybe Celestia could put him off his guard. "You can't fight anymore, can you? Alright… I surrender! The fight's over! You win!" She meekly held her hands up, though one was still securely holding onto her staff, as if to prove her point. "Even you wouldn't continue to attack an enemy who just surrendered, would you?"

She half-expected the demon to gloat over her defeat, but he remained hunched and panting. In his exhausted state, his burning eyes were on her, even as his weapon drooped. There was unbridled hate in his gaze, but it was clear he could do nothing more. " _Fine_." It came out as a venomous hiss past his jagged teeth. "I accept your surrender. Now get out of my way, angel-bitch, if you know what's good for you." His voice seemed surprisingly soft, yet hoarse, like wind brushing through scrap metal.

Celestia regarded him warily, but the angel still refused to move from her spot on the ground. Her chin raised slightly as she stared at the fiend, smiling confidentently even if she was a bit winded from their scuffle. Her eyes would _always_ smugly look down on fiends no matter the situation she was in. "I'm not trying to get in your way. You can always go around me if you're so intent on heading in this direction alone." She paused there for a second, letting 'alone' linger on the fiend's mind. She even went out of her way to rub it in as her eyes flicked up and her head turned to scan the area just behind the fiend. "Not even your brother is with you. Is he still of this world or has he-"

"He is! Don't you know who I am? Silva, Warlord of Dark World?" the fiend snarled, flashing his weapon again. As it turned out, shouting was a poor idea. Silva hunched over and grasped at his stomach. Apparently, the fatigue, the injuries- they were all beginning to add up. "I could easily _kill_ you if I weren't in this state… I _would_ kill you."

"Oh, I don't doubt that you would." Celestia frowned as her eyes roved over his wounds. "Now that you're calmer, would you be so kind as to tell me who did this to you? I may have seen them from the sky and could point you in their direction."

"Male. Looked human. Teal hair. Bright eyes."

She looked at him incredulously. "A human. A _human_ did this to you?"

He frowned back at her and shook his head. "No… It couldn't have been. Humans don't typically have bright orange eyes, do they?"

"I don't believe so." Honestly, Celestia wasn't sure what to think. Then again, there were rumors of Haou: the young warlord from another world whose golden eyes could chill one's very soul with a simple look. Rumors also claimed he was human. "I haven't seen anyone even remotely similar to that."

His eyes were still on her, though they had lost some of their luster. For a few uncomfortable seconds, only the gusting wind sounded. "What now, angel? Is this how it ends for me, hunched over in a backwater town of weak fiends?"

"Tcha, I'm not going to kill you." Celestia waved a slim hand dismissively. "You can barely even stand up. Unlike you fiends, we Lightsworn are honorable. Besides, you're already on a suicide mission. Tell me, how can you possibly hope to kill the one who did this to you? They would kill you before you drew your blade."

"Sure, you would think that, but-" His spitting remark was cut short as he began to violently cough. The fiend's balance swayed more and more with every passing moment. The nearest healing place was nowhere to be found and it would seem his legs were on the verge of giving out. There was no way he would make it much farther. He didn't have time for this and neither did Celestia.

With wide eyes, Celestia watched as Silva sheathed his weapon, dropped to his hands and knees, and practically groveled before the Lightsworn angel. "Water… Drink… Please…" His head hung, a gesture rarely seen by any fiend. In any other circumstance, Celestia may have laughed and gloated over such a pathetic display from one of Dark World's best. It really felt surprising when she didn't. Honestly, it was just so bizarre, so alarming that she could only stare for a couple seconds and struggle to process it.

Was that sympathy stirring in her heart as she pulled a leather waterskin and a wrapped parcel from her bag? It was mistrust and her own common sense that prevented her from strolling up to the fiend and directly handing the items to him. "Here, take them." Celestia lightly tossed the full waterskin and parcel towards the kneeling fiend. Whether the injured monster managed to catch them or not, both of the objects were tightly sealed and would not spill if they hit the ground.

Silva immediately snatched up the waterskin as it slapped onto the ground. He would find the outside startlingly cool and covered with condensation like morning dew on grass. It was a rare treat to have chilled beverages in these parts, but the Lightsworn never ceased to impress. An amused look on her face, the angel watched as the demon downed gulp after gulp of the vessel. To his credit, he did at least hold the liquid in his mouth for a few seconds to savor it.

"It's good, isn't it, fiend? Like an herbal poultice on a fresh sunburn- that cool sensation of instant relief."

"Sunburn? Is that more of what your holy magic can do?"

Well, of course… There was no sun in Dark World, so why would any resident of Dark World be familiar with the ill effects of the sun?

Celestia shook her head. "I suppose it could." She nodded to the parcel, which was still sitting by the fiend's feet. "You'll find medicine in that. Use some of that to help your brother too. It's certainly nothing miraculous, but your injuries will heal quicker. Keep all of it and the waterskin. And, for the gods' sakes, forget your vendetta against the teal-haired stranger. I'm sure he's long gone by now."

"You know, you're not too bad… For a fairy type", Silva said as something Celestia could only assume was supposed to be a smile stretched at the corners of his lipless mouth.

He pocketed the waterskin and the parcel. An awkward silence filled the tense atmosphere between the two. Was he expecting something to happen? Nothing else did. The two just stared at each other, waiting for the next move. The only noise that could be heard was the low, resonating hum from Celestia's raised staff. However, she was not holding it in any offensive stance. It must have been clear that she was not willing to try anything on him. _Does he understand that_ _?_

As if he could hear her thoughts, he rumbled, "Look, if I wanted to attack you, I would have done so again by now. My kind isn't exactly known for our subtleties…" Another silent pause instilled. "We, my brother and I, need time to recover. We need a place where we can safely stay put until then…"

Celestia still found herself staring at the fiend for a moment longer, trying to make out just what was going on. Honestly, when was the last time in recorded history where a fiend and fairy spoke like this? There was a small pause before she spoke again, mulling over what to say. "Well, I was only scouting out the area, so I haven't exactly been looking for inns. Your kind certainly isn't welcome back at the Lightsworn's temple", the location of which she did not plan on revealing to Silva. Their radiant temple was well hidden even in this dark dimension thanks to Lyla's magic. "I don't have any camping supplies either if _that_ is what you are looking for. Not that I would be willing to part with something like that anyway." She certainly wasn't stupid enough to camp out alone with this fiend or his brother either or suggest that the three could travel together. All of the Lightsworn had a certain level of compassion no matter who they interacted with. As compassionate as she could be, Celestia was still untrusting of some people. Fiend types as a whole had never tried to be this diplomatic and civil with the Lightsworns or any group of fairies in the past. Celestia was wisened enough to know this wouldn't last. They would part ways at some point soon, then everything would go back to normal.

A mockingly playful smirk crossed Celestia's pale, soft face before the fiend could say anything back to her. "What? Don't tell me the locals are being uncooperative. Ever since parts of the Realm of Light were dragged into Dark World, those of us trapped here haven't expected an ounce of hospitality. You types never offer it. I would think that a _fiend_ would know this even better." She shook her head, shifting her staff so that she could rest it comfortably against her shoulder. "Your best bet would be to find a nice cave you can sleep in. Maybe steal from one of the nearby villages that hasn't been destroyed yet… Or, um, kill everyone in that village?" She grimaced and eyed him suspiciously. "You demons generally do those sorts of things, right?"

She blinked as the fiend's massive shoulders began to shake and his rumbling laugh reverberated over to her. "Is this world too harsh for you? I will tell you this: you will never make a name for yourself in Dark World with that mentality."

Celestia studied him with a disapproving look, her slim eyebrows raised. "We Lightsworn aren't ever desperate enough to rely on such brutal methods."

"Do not lecture me, angel. I'm not in the mood", he growled. "You have amused me, but I suggest you don't approach me if we ever happen to meet again, especially if I'm with others. I might be in the mood to spare you, but they surely won't." As if his patience had finally worn thin, he sheathed his weapon and turned his back to her. "Do _not_ try to follow me." He passed through the village, opposite the direction he had come from, and was soon gone from her sight.

"Tsk, I'm starting to hate you even more…", she murmured. "Then I'll leave you be as you wish."

Apparently having scuttled off while she and Silva were busy, the two lesser fiends were nowhere in sight. Honestly, Celestia couldn't bring herself to care. Her eyes swept over the rest of the village. Not a single person was in sight, so any survivors had clearly fled or been turned into stardust. That was a pity. She would have liked to question somebody, _anybody_ more about the identity of the teal-haired stranger. Something about it bothered her.

 _How could a single human cause this much damage? Even the particularly strong ones can't do much by themselves…_ For all the jests and taunts in dimensions, nobody would argue against the fact that many humans were capable of holding their own in individual fights. Yes, Haou himself was human if those rumors had any ounce of truth to them, but she had never heard of him single-handedly massacring a village without an army at his back. Something like this could only have been done by a higher being. In his wounded, delirious state, Silva must have been mistaken. _He could barely even walk. Besides, he is a fiend. Why am I giving what he says any credibility? I'm worrying myself over nothing_ _…_ _There are no bodies to bury, but I suppose I could at least offer the dead some final peace._

 _Let's start then. A quick prayer for the lost_ _…_ _O Saint Michael, Archangel of the Light w_ _ith the mighty Dragon of Judgment in thou command, we praise thou as our guardian. Watch over these lost souls and defend them from the forces from the Darkness. Then we pray. Thou be their Ark. Thou be their protection against the wickedness and snares of the Darkness._

* * *

A woman wronged was a terrible sight indeed, even when she was not technically completely a woman. Even when they were inhabiting the body of a male- perhaps _especially_ in those unique cases. Yubel's current host just wouldn't keep quiet and that did nothing good for the fiend's already sour mood.

As they used the vessel's feet, its well-worn shoes encrusted with a thin layer of mud at that point, to pass through the woods, Yubel mindedly straightened a ruffle on one of its sleeves. There was a quiet, sorrowful voice in the back of Yubel's mind. _"Was that all really necessary? They just didn't have any rooms left at the inn."_

"They were lying."

 _"I really don't think they were lying_ _…"_

"Yes, they were. I could see it on the innkeeper's face. She claimed they were full, but she gave us a funny look. Don't tell me you didn't see that."

 _"Maybe she didn't give you that look because she was trying to be malicious and lie. Maybe she gave you that look because she was scared of you. Have you considered that yet?"_

"Ha, scared of me. That would have been a lousy excuse from her. If you believe that, then you're even stupider than I thought."

Yubel abruptly stopped in their tracks as fresh emotions fought their way through their consciousness. There was that wretched feeling again, the obnoxious spark of rebellion that they just couldn't snuff out no matter how many times it had failed. _"If you hadn't murdered everyone, then maybe she would have at least let you order something to eat! I need to eat every so often, you know? This is my body. If you don't keep me fed, you will grow weak."_

A tongue slid over the host body's teeth and the bridge of the nose wrinkled in irritation. "There will be other villages, thief. We can satisfy our hunger somewhere else."

Soft, delicate tingles of amusement fluttered in the deepest, repressed part of her mind. Remarkably, the fool had the audacity to speak yet again. _"Will you go on another rampage if somebody looks at you funny?"_

"Shut up", she hissed. "If I wasn't dependent on this body, I would be happy if you starved."

 _"So I deserve to die for befriending someone. Thanks. I kinda understand why he sent you away in the first place._ _"_

Oh, why did he have to keep bringing that up? The corners of the vessel's mouth curled into a cat-like grin and its fiendish orange eyes glittered like gems in the darkness. "My, my… Those are such harsh words, human, but alright. If you feel that way about me, then you won't be welcome in either of our lives once we are reunited."

 _"A-and that's all you can say? Wishing me dead for some stupid reason, and that's all you can say?"_ Yubel could feel the waves of his anger coursing through their very being, but they wholeheartedly welcomed them like a child would a toy. _"What did I ever do wrong? I didn't even know you existed before this!"_

"I don't care. You _stole_ him from me."

There was an exasperated sigh. _"People are allowed to have more than one friend, for your information. Can you really not understand that?"_

"Big words for a liar and a thief", Yubel grumbled. "No matter. You can try to worm your way closer to him all you want. He will never love you the way he loves me. Honestly, it sounds as though you're jealous of the bond I share with him."

 _"…'You're jealous of the bond I share with him.' Did that really just come out of your mouth?"_

Yubel frowned, the host's head tilting ever so slightly to the side as they started walking forward again. In that brief moment, everything was beautifully quiet. The woods around them had adopted an eerie stillness ever since they had first set foot in them. It was almost as though whatever was lurking in the underbrush instinctively knew not to get in this stranger's path. Yubel could imagine that most things in Dark World had the same level of self-preservation. That innkeeper had clearly been an exception.

Yubel's voice cut through the tranquility, "Well, on some level I understand why you feel that way. It's all immaturity and selfishness on your part."

 _"Unbelievable…"_

Clearly, he had nothing more to argue with. As much as Yubel despised being alone, they embraced the long silence that followed.


End file.
